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Omega Supreme vs Cobra Rattlers - Marvel - G.I

G.I. Joe and the Transformers is a four-issue limited series produced by Marvel Comics in 1986, featuring the first encounter between two of Hasbro's most successful franchises.

Issues[]

G.I. Joe and the Transformers issues

Issues[]

Collection[]

Overview[]

The crossover begins around issue #23 of the original G1 series, and wraps up around issue #27. Scant reference is made to it by the main series, and apart from Bumblebee becoming Goldbug and the disappearance of Dirge, its influence is minimal.

The story is centered around Power Station Alpha, a mobile nuclear power plant that can beam energy across the globe. The Decepticons and Cobra both want it, and briefly ally themselves to steal it from the United States... until Cobra's agents discover that Shockwave has plans for the station that will bring about the destruction of the Earth itself.

The series was published at a time of considerable upheaval within the main Transformers book. During the course of the crossover, both Optimus Prime and Megatron are killed off, which makes for a somewhat disjointed story. On the G.I. Joe side, Serpentor replaces Cobra Commander.

Creative Team[]

The series was written by Michael Higgins. Art is by Herb Trimpe and Vince Colletta. Regular Transformers colorist Nel Yomtov also worked on the series.

UK (non) printing[]

The mini-series is the only story from the Marvel US G1 cycle that was not immediately printed by the UK comic. Why this was is unclear, although as Marvel UK had only just acquired the licence to print Action Force (the UK counterpart to G.I. Joe) and their reprints were some way behind the events in this story, it's possible the crossover was considered to be too confusing.

The changes made by the series were substituted or ignored. An alternative origin for Goldbug would appear in "Wanted - Galvatron Dead or Alive" and "Hunters!". Dirge would appear alive in the later UK story "Salvage!"

Marvel UK would later run their own Transformers/Action Force crossover in "Ancient Relics!" in Transformers #125 and Action Force #24-27.

In 1990 problems with publication deadlines resulted in the latest US comic stories not yet being available for the UK comic. This problem had occurred twice already in the last year and the previous solution of printing reprints of past UK stories had resulted in many letters of protest. So instead the decision was taken to run the G.I. Joe and the Transformers series, although modifying the series title to Transformers and G.I. Joe the Action Force, in order to create a much larger gap between the US and UK printings. The series appeared in issues #265-281.

No attempt was made to incorporate the series into the UK continuity. Instead the story was presented from the off-set as a US tale that included their origin of Goldbug.

Credits[]

Items of Note[]

  • The G.I. Joe and the Transformers limited series had no apparent short or long-term affects on the events of the regular G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic. Indeed, the main comic made no reference to it whatsoever and it was effectively ignored.
  • The reverse is not true however. Several editors notes in the G.I. Joe and the Transformers limited series reference the events in the regular series in an effort to establish their place in the main continuity.
  • A note in G.I. Joe and the Transformers #1 places the events sometime after G.I. Joe #50.
  • A note in G.I. Joe and the Transformers #2 urges the reader to read G.I. Joe #55 to see if the characters are correct in assuming that Cobra Commander is really dead.
  • A note in G.I. Joe and the Transformers #4 lets the reader know they can read more about Snake-Eyes recent run in with Cobra in G.I. Joe Yearbook #3.
  • The limited series takes between issues #23 and #27 of of the Marvel US Transformers comic.
  • As a result of changes to the leadership of Cobra, the Autobots and Decepticons in both regular titles during its run the limited series can be confusing when read on its own.
  • The series was initially ignored by the Marvel UK Transformers comic who provided their own story explaining the change from Bumblebee to Goldbug. The series was later reprinted in 1990 to plug a gap in schedules but always presented as being out of regular continuity.
  • Although the title of the series is G.I. Joe and the Transformers, solicitations and monthly comic line ups listed it as G.I. Joe vs. Transformers.
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